Winter Fire
by Akatala
Summary: Modern day AU. Kaoru is driving home trying to beat a winter storm when she discovers an injured and near frozen Kenshin in the road. When she takes him in, she has no idea how much her life is about to change forever.
1. Unanticipated Guest

**Winter Fire**

_All-inclusive disclaimer: I hereby deny ownership of any of the characters presented in this story for the entirety of the story. I am merely a fan exploring a 'what-if' possibility._

Author's Forward: Hello friends. I just wanted to state that, no, I have _not_ quit working on _Wake Me Up Inside_. I am still working diligently whenever possible to complete further chapters and will continue to do so until its ultimate completion. This story is something that began as a mere idea stewing in my head. I decided to write down the opening scene that my mind kept replaying and see where it went. The result is a quickly aspiring tale of modern suspense. _Wake _will remain my primary focus. I just needed something else to work on when my muse takes a holiday on Inuyasha stuff. I've been wanting to write a Kenshin story for over half a year now, so this is my answer to that. I will admit that I already have four chapters of this story completed, three are merely waiting to be beta-read.

If anyone wishes to be a beta-reader for this story, please email me. My address is listed in my profile.

That said, on with the story!

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_Chapter One – Unanticipated Guest_

Beta-read by: b00kperson.

Kaoru Kamiya groaned at the fat flakes of snow starting to spiral down in greater numbers, now making visibility start to dwindle. It looked like she'd be making it home just in time. She'd heard of the fast approach of a winter storm yesterday evening on the radio, so today she'd headed out to town to do all her errand running and shopping. There would be no telling when the next chance to go to town would come.

As it was, it had started raining when she was finishing up in the last store. It continued to do so most of her tedious drive home before turning over fully to quarter size snowflakes. The roads would be hell for anyone attempting to drive on them by morning with all the ice that would have built up from the freezing rain beneath all the snow that was due to fall.

Kaoru was suddenly jolted alert when her eyes spied something dark and resembling a body laying sprawled in the middle of the road. She let out a gasp as her foot automatically hit the brake causing the pickup truck to skid a ways on the road already covered in a thin layer of ice, "What the heck..?"

Once the truck had come to a full stop, she threw it into park and scrambled out the door. A few sprinting steps brought her to the body's side. There, she knelt to assess the situation. The first thing she noticed was the person was short with blood red hair pulled back into a ponytail but matted and full of twigs, leaves, and pine needles. The second thing she noticed was that this person had apparently been involved in some kind of crash and was bleeding into the freshly fallen snow. Dropping to her knees, she checked for a pulse. As she did so, she found the person's skin deathly cold to the touch but a faint pulse throbbing through the arteries in their wrist.

"Uhh.. Excuse me…" Kaoru spoke uncertainly as she shook the person's shoulders. She carefully rolled the body over onto its back. It was then that she noticed the mystery person was not only male, albeit short and rather feminine framed, but also incredibly hansom. She was willing to bet he was drop dead gorgeous when he wasn't looking like he'd been blown up and tossed through a meat grinder.

"Sir? Can you hear me?" she spoke again as she shook his shoulders. He failed to respond and so she immediately set to figuring out what needed a temporary bandage. Taking off her jacket, she peeled off the button up cotton pink plaid shirt she was wearing over a black long sleeve shirt. Putting her coat back on, she tore the blouse into strips and used it to bandage the wounds in his side, thigh, and arm.

Just as Kaoru was standing to go move the truck closer, the man came to with a jolt as he sat up partway. Dark indigo eyes stared at her sharply for only a moment before taking on a dazed look. She set her hands on his shoulders, "It's okay, sir. I'm going to help you. But I'm by myself, so if you are capable of standing, it would be helpful."

It took a moment for a response to come from the injured man, but he showed vague understanding as he struggled to get up. She stood and carefully helped him up, throwing his arm over her shoulder and letting him lean against her for support as he found difficulty using the one leg at all. It was a chore, but eventually she managed to get the hobbling semi-conscious male over to the truck and hoisted into the passenger seat. The moment he was seated, energy left him to pass out against her as she buckled his seat belt. Leaning the seatback back, she shifted him back into the seat then shut the door.

Snow was falling heavy now as Kaoru climbed into the driver's side of the cab and slammed the door shut. She quickly buckled her belt then threw the truck back into drive to continue her journey home with her new guest. After all, the way the snow was falling now, there wasn't time for a trip to the hospital. Plus, her little brother Yahiko was still waiting back at the cabin for her imminent return. She couldn't leave him to sit out a storm like this.

The twenty minutes it took her to get home seemed like an eternity, but finally she pulled up in the front drive. Almost immediately, Yahiko was dashing out into the storm that was starting to pick up power to help her bring the groceries in. Seeing the unfamiliar person in the passenger seat produced a puzzled expression as Kaoru jumped out.

"Forget the groceries for now. I found a man out on the road. He's hurt and freezing to death. Help me get him inside!" she ordered as she dashed around to the passenger side. She threw open the door and popped the safety belt.

"Who is he? Where'd you find him? What happened to him?" Natural question after question poured out of the kid's mouth as he rushed over to provide assistance.

"I don't know anything except that I found him in the middle of the road just past Jeffery's Creek," she answered as she tugged the deadweight of the unconscious male out of the truck. Yahiko was there to shoulder some of the weight as they struggled to get him into the little log cabin that served as home.

"He's awful short for a guy. He kinda looks like a girl too," the boy commented.

"I pray that he makes it through the night," she returned as they laid the man out on the couch.

"Hey, check out the scar!" Yahiko shouted with awe as he pointed. "Totally wicked. I wonder where he got it." Kaoru followed his gaze to the cross-shaped scar that covered the majority of the man's left cheek.

"It looks old. Don't judge a book by it's cover," she told him.

"I wasn't. I was just wondering where he got it. It makes him look kinda cool."

"Whatever. Go bring the groceries in while I work at patching him up," she commanded as she laid the three available blankets over their new guest. Discarding her coat, she then left his side briefly to pull the first aid kit out of the kitchen. Kaoru knew those classes she'd taken could prove useful living out here, but she'd never imagined it like this. She knew his wounds had to be tended to, but the obvious first task was to get the wet, torn clothes off him as quickly as possible. There was no doubt he'd gone hypothermic already.

"I'm really sorry about this, sir, but obviously it's quite necessary if you're going to have any chance at all of surviving this," she told the unconscious man, ignoring the bold ache in her heart at the thought her words had conjured. Grabbing some scissors, Kaoru winced and started cutting the fabric from his form so as not to disturb the wounds any more than possible.

Twelve year-old Yahiko paused in the middle of one of his many trips to bring in the supplies to watch his sister tend to the stranger. A knot of worry formed in his stomach, not just for the young man, but for Kaoru should he happen to pass on while they were stuck here. The boy knew, after losing their parents in a brutal convenience store robbery homicide just a few years ago, the girl couldn't handle the emotional strain of losing an injured someone entrusted to her care.

"What are you just standing there for? Hurry up!" Kaoru barked, startling Yahiko back into completing his task as quickly as possible.

It took some time but the girl managed to cut the clothes from the man down to the make-shift bandages and boxers. Those, she was quite adamantly leaving. As she was no doctor and those seemed to be dry with no sign of injury, there was no cause for her to go any further. Blushing, she forced herself to quit letting her mind travel down that path of thought any further. Shaking her head, she rewrapped the man in the blankets in a valiant attempt to raise his body temperature back up to a healthy level.

Just then Yahiko arrived next to her ready to receive his next task, "Okay, what next? Man, he really ate it. I wonder what happened to him all the way out here in the middle of nowhere."

"That's a very good question, Yahiko. It looks to me like he was in some sort of crash. But I didn't see any wreckage at all when I found him. So apparently, he'd managed to wander back to a place where someone would find him before collapsing," she replied. "Go into the storage room and pull out some of Dad's old clothes. They may not fit but at least they'll be something for him to wear while he's stuck here with us."

"Sure thing," the boy replied, rushing off to complete his next task.

Carefully, Kaoru formed a hole in the blankets to work through and unbound the bandage on the man's torso. The good news was that the bleeding to this particular wound had stopped. The bad news was, she hand no idea how deep it ran. Kaoru again mentally prayed that the damage his body had sustained was not so severe that he would die before she was able to get him to a doctor. Judging from the several inches of snow that had fallen since she'd first found him, she was guessing that would be a few days at the very least. Giving her head another shake, the twenty-two year old refocused her attention on what she was doing.

Rising, she went to the kitchen to prepare a bowl of hot water. Once ready, she carefully carried it over to the couch and set it on the floor beside the first aid box. Turning back to her guest, Kaoru gently cleansed the wound in the man's right side with the cloth full of water just cool enough that it wouldn't scald his already abused flesh. Despite the hotness of the cloth, the man didn't stir from his unconscious oblivion. Kaoru took that as a semi-good thing since what she was doing would have hurt like hell had he been awake enough to feel it. Once that task was done, she dropped the cloth into the bowl and picked up the needle and thread she'd sterilized in a Dixie cup of rubbing alcohol.

Next, Kaoru focused on stitching up the wound in the man's side as best as she could. Glancing up at his face, she could see he was starting to warm up. The frightening blue that had tinged his chapped and bruised lips had faded away. Though his skin was still pale and cold to the touch, it was starting to look better than it had.

"Wow, you're actually doing a decent job at that, Sis. And to think you normally screw up any major sewing project you attempt!" came a familiar boyish teasing from behind her. Kaoru started with a short scream and spun to smack her brother.

"Shut up, rug rat! Quit distracting me! This is delicate work! Go put the groceries away," she scolded irritably. Yahiko snickered as he headed to the kitchen to complete the next task given to him.

With her brother once again occupied, Kaoru returned to her own work of stitching up the wound in the man's side. Once finished, she tied it off and snipped the thread. Setting the needle back into the cup of alcohol, she turned to gently apply ointment to the mended wound.

"Yahiko, could you come here a moment and help me sit him up so that I can get the bandage wrapped around his middle?"

A second later, the boy was there at her side. Together, they carefully raised the man up and leaned him against the couch back. With Yahiko standing there to provide stability, Kaoru placed large bandage pads along the wound then began wrapping gauze around the man's mid-section. Once done, she snipped and secured the end. Together, they carefully laid him back down and resituated the blankets around him.

"Okay, now I need you to take this bowl and refill it with hot water. Make it just cool enough that it doesn't burn," Kaoru instructed.

"All right," Yahiko nodded and picked up the bowl to go fill it. Meanwhile, Kaoru worked at carefully removing the make shift bandage from the laceration on the man's thigh. Yahiko was setting the bowl back down where he'd found it when she was done.

"Thanks. You can go back to the groceries now," came her response.

Yahiko nodded but stooped to pick up what was left of the stranger's pants along the way. While his sister was busy tending to the man's wounds, Yahiko fished through the pockets of the tattered jeans. Eventually, he search paid off, yielding a well worn black leather wallet. Dropping the scrap of denim, he searched the wallet. In all, the wallet held $17 plus a few coins, a Subway Club card, a Blockbuster card, a Citi Bank card with the fancy chip in it, and a drivers license. According to the license, the man on their couch was twenty-eight year-old Kenshin Himura. It listed him as 5'5 and 162 lbs with red hair and blue eyes.

Yahiko grinned and stuck the wallet in his pocket before going on to quickly finish putting the supplies away. Once done, he wandered back over to check on his sister and their new guest, Mr. Himura. He blinked as he saw she was already near done stitching up the cut in Mr. Himura's leg. He waited until she was done and putting the needle back into the cup of rubbing alcohol before saying anything.

"Is your homework done?" she asked, beating him to the punch while letting him know she'd known he'd been there all along.

"Yep. Guess what."

"You're growing a wart on your nose?"

"_What?_ No! Fine. I won't tell you then!" the boy shot back as he stomped over to sit and look out the window at the storm that was now swinging into a full scale blizzard. The cabin rattled and the windows howled slightly as the wind blew through the forest their cabin sat in.

Kaoru smirked as she applied ointment to the newly stitched leg wound. Grabbing the bolt of gauze, she carefully began wrapping it. After finishing with that, she cut and secured the end before tossing the gauze aside and starting on the last major wound she'd seen. Yahiko turned to watch her work. That lasted a total of thirty seconds.

"Find a paper bag and toss this ruined clothing into it," Kaoru told him.

"But-"

"Don't give me 'but'! Just do it," she glared. Yahiko shuddered, seeing a bit of their later mother in Kaoru as she found things to keep him busy. "When you're done, set it over by the hearth. Then you can start pulling out the ingredients to make chicken soup for dinner tonight."

Grumbling, the boy left the window to do as he was told. By the time he'd picked up and set the soup on to cook, Kaoru was finally finished mending Mr. Himura as much as she was capable of. She picked up her supplies and set the first aid kit to the side. She then used the warm wash rag to wipe the mud, blood, and other gunk from the man's face. Then she rose and took the bowl to the sink to wash it out. She pulled out a clean wash rag and wet it with warm water. After ringing it out, she returned to fold it and place it on the slumber's man's forehead.

Stepping back, Kaoru heaved a great sigh, "That's the best I can do for now. It's up to him from here. We'll just have to wait and see."

"His name's Kenshin," Yahiko informed her as he stirred the soup.

"What?" Kaoru frowned as she looked back at him with a slightly confused expression as she hadn't been paying enough attention.

"I said his name is Kenshin," Yahiko repeated, rolling his eyes.

"I take it you found some ID?"

"Yeah," the boy pulled out the wallet and passed it to his sister. She took it and rummaged through it same as he'd done. Pulling out the drivers license, she read it over carefully.

"Kenshin Himura. Santa Monica, California. Wow, he's a long way from home, isn't he?"

"He sure is. I bet he's freezing his tail off up here in the North Woods."

"Well, he's warmer now what he was when we brought him in. I think he'll be okay on that aspect. It's that wound on his right side and infection that I'm worried about. And what about the rest of him? What if he suffered some sort of head injury that we can't see? I know he woke up for a minute when I first found him. Else I would have _really_ had a problem getting him into the truck by myself. But that's _still_ not saying very much. On top of that, he probably lost a whole lot of blood before I found him too, so… the poor guy has a lot stacked up against him."

"Wow, I'll say. What happened when he woke up? Did he say anything to you?"

"No. I'm pretty sure he was barely conscious at the time. It took me a couple of tries to get him to understand what I was trying to get him to help me do."

"Oh, bummer."

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To be continued...


	2. Angel's Secret

**Winter Fire**  
_Chapter Two – Angel's Secret_

Beta-read by: Human Chew Toy

Something drew Kaoru to wakefulness in the wee hours of the night. She could hear the snores of her brother coming from his room on the other side of the wall. Outside, she could here the dull roar of the storm Mother Nature had thrown at them. Then she remembered the guest sleeping on the couch nearby. Kaoru had decided to sleep on the floor in the living room just in case Mr. Himura happened to wake and needed something. Come to think of it, between the storm and Yahiko's snoring, she couldn't hear a thing from the injured man.

A lump of dreadful fear formed in the pit of Kaoru's stomach as she got up to go check on Kenshin. Quietly, she padded over and knelt next to the couch. She held her breath as she reached in to check the pulse point on the side of his neck. To her relief, she felt both a slow but steady pulse and deep, even breaths move through his windpipe. His skin also felt healthy warm beneath her fingertips. The breath she'd held left her lungs with a great whoosh of profound relief.

Smiling, Kaoru removed the nearly dry wash rag from Kenshin's forehead. She set it on the end table then gently laid her palm against the flesh upon above his brow. Again, the skin felt warm yet not too hot. She counted her blessings that he hadn't contracted a fever from his ordeal.

'This Kenshin must be someone of extraordinary willpower to hang on throughout all of this and turn out so well despite the odds against him,' she thought to herself as her fingers traveled through his mass of matted crimson bangs. Her eyes caught site of the faint gold sheen created by the fading fire light. Frowning, she turned to go stoke the fire with another couple of logs. Unbeknownst to her, the young man's cinnamon brow furrowed in the wake of her absence. By the time she turned back around, the sign was gone.

Wind caused the cabin to shudder as Kaoru made her way back over to her sleeping bag. Sitting down, she wrapped the cover over her feet, but leaned against the wall instead of laying back down. Now, as the fire filled the room with a cozy warmth and amber glow, she at last had some time to gaze at her guest without the embarrassing presence of her little brother.

Patches of bruises varying in color from pink to deep purple were splotched over his skin that she could now see normally held a moderate tan. Kenshin obviously spent some time out in the bright California sun. Contrasting against the bruise-blotched caramel skin was the blood crimson locks of his hair that was currently matted and grimy from the horrific events leading up to his arrival into her care. Now, as the abundant amber light of the fire spilled over his form, the strands of hair glimmered brilliantly passionate scarlet and rich gold. Kaoru was mildly surprised when she found herself having subconsciously crossed the space between them. Her fingers dipped of their own accord to again run amuck in that mess of crimson.

'What is it with me? I don't even know this guy, haven't even seen him truly awake yet, and my fingers have grown addicted to playing with his hair! Get a grip on yourself, Kaoru!' she scolded herself, reluctantly pulling her hand back. Though compelled to stay where she was, Kaoru Kamiya forced herself to return to her sleeping bag on the floor by the wall leading to Yahiko's room. This time, as she was laying herself down to sleep, out of the corner of her eye, she _did_ notice a twitch of movement on the stranger's face.

Kaoru bolted upright to watch him closely. When he didn't move, she decided to softly call out to him, "Mr. Himura?"

Her call got no response. Outside, the wind gave one of its mighty howls as it moved through the forested mountain side the cabin sat on. Again, the cabin shook as it stood defiant against Mother Nature's wrath. Apparently some part of the sound and vibration made its way through to Kenshin's world as his face drew into a grimace and a soft moaning grunt of groggy complaint issued from his throat. Kaoru wasted no time in getting to his side once again.

"Kenshin? Can you hear me?" she asked again. The expression on his face faded away as he drew back lax once again. Frowning, Kaoru reached out to let her fingers wander through his bangs and gently caress his cheek and brow. "Kenshin Himura, please try to wake up for me," she continued to plead.

For a long time, the man called Kenshin Himura floated in a world of pitch black. There was no direction nor action nor sensation. Just unending oblivion.

'Is this what it's like to die?' he wondered idly to himself. 'Am I dead? I must be. I feel nothing. I sense nothing.'

Kenshin thought for a long while, forcing bits of memory back to recollection. 'I remember.. I saw white amidst darkness. I felt nothing but numbing cold. But, in that whiteness, someone was there. I heard a voice call out to me. It was feminine and beautiful. I remember one moment where I saw her face in perfect clarity. She had raven hair and eyes resembling the deepest of oceans. Her skin was creamy and brushed with a rosy blush across her cheeks and nose.'

The sight of her caused a warm feeling to blossom somewhere within him. His spirit smiled at the memory of her, 'If I am dead, then she must have been an angel. But.. what angel would want to approach this cursed soul with hands stained crimson from bloodshed? Why did she come to me? Why?'

Kenshin felt himself fall back into oblivion for what seemed like eternity and a mere moment wrapped into one. Then, to his surprise, he began to feel. Two sensations filled his being. One was a feeling of being blissfully warm. The other was a throbbing pain that grew steadily stronger and covered his entire form. Some places hurt worse than others. To he who thought himself dead, this was indeed a curious thing.

'Am I finally burning in Hell where I belong?' he asked himself. He paid more attention to the feelings. 'No. This warmth, it doesn't burn. It feels.. nice. If I'm not in Hell, then where am I? And why am I pained as I am?' He groaned in irritation at the inability to answer this question.

After a short bit, a third sensation made itself known to him. Kenshin couldn't be sure, but if felt as though someone were touching him. 'It feels.. like fingers.. petting my head. Like a mother watching over her child. Who is it?'

Kenshin put up an effort to fight against the darkness, seeking to answer his unending questions. At first, the darkness was unyielding, but then it gave way just a tiny bit. As it did so, a few of its secrets became revealed to him. Next came to him the sense of smell. He could smell a soft feminine scent that smelled like a mix of meadow, vanilla cream, and flannel. Somewhere mixed in with it was a musty smell mixed with the smell of timber burning in a hearth. It filled Himura with a blissful calming serenity. No longer did he feel anxious, irritable, nor worried for his welfare. He was surrounded by things that made him feel at peace. Except for the fact that the pain was still there.

'What is wrong with me?' he wondered once again. The moving fingers left and Kenshin found himself frowning in a sense of loss. 'Where did they go? Why did they stop?' Sighing, he resigned himself to living without the touch he'd been enjoying moments ago. Yet, something else now told him someone was clearly watching him. Who, he still had no clue. But then again, he had no way of asking yet either. Nothing he ever said seemed to reach them.

A short time later, Kenshin sensed that someone's slow approach. Once again, those fingers resumed their ministrations. 'Have I always yearned so much to simply be touched?' he asked himself. Yet no matter how hard he thought on the matter, he could not remember. All too soon, the touching stopped again. 'Either stay or go. Make up your damn mind!' Kenshin's mind protested, wishing the fingers would stay.

Then, to his surprise, sound began to register in his ears. He heard the sound of a crackling fire. Somewhere beyond something muffling, he heard someone snoring. Then, to add to the fray, just beyond whatever structure he was in, he heard wind howling and rattling window panes. Objects sounded and timbers popped as vibrations rippled through the abode. 'A storm? Do they have storms in the world of the dead?'

A greater trembling of the building caused whatever Kenshin was laying on to jitter. That action instantly sent waves of pain from numerous angered points washing through him. Kenshin involuntarily winced with a moaning cry. 'Why does it hurt so damn much? Am I really dead after all?'

Somewhere, someone gasped and came padding over to him. He heard the rustle of clothing as that someone knelt beside him. Then he heard that same female voice calling his name. Hear as he may, he could not get himself to respond. Growing tired for a moment, Kenshin let himself relax. A moment later, those torturously wonderful fingers returned to brush through his hair and gently caress his face. Though, this time, he became aware that places on his face were sore as well. Again, that voice called out to him, saying his name while pleading for him to respond. Tired of growing more questions instead of gaining answers, Kenshin Himura began to fight against the blackness with renew vigor.

Kaoru continued to lightly play her fingers over the man's face and tangled hair. She wondered how it was possible that her heartbeat alone wasn't waking him let alone her brother in the next room with how hard it drummed in her ears. She moved her hand to her heart as if such action could cause it to be quiet. Of course, it didn't. Then a soft raspy whisper drew her complete attention. She realized immediately, Kenshin had said something. But it had been so quiet and garbled she couldn't make out a word of it.

"Say again. I couldn't quite understand. Please?"

"Don't.. stop," came the raspy barely audible words again. This time, they were just clear enough to where she could make out what he was saying.

"Don't stop? Wha- Oh!" Kaoru blushed profusely when she realized what he'd meant. "I'm sorry. Please tell me if I touch something too tender," she told him as she bashfully let her fingers obey his request. "Can you tell me how you feel? Does it hurt very much?"

For a long minute, he didn't answer. Kaoru was beginning to think he'd fallen back to sleep when his whisper surprised her again, "Yes. S-sometimes."

"Sometimes it hurts a lot?" she asked, trying to confirm what he meant.

Again it took him a moment to answer, but still he answered, "Yes."

"I'm-"

"Why?"

That question took Kaoru by surprise. "Why what?" she asked with a confused expression.

"I'm.. dead. Why.. do I.. hurt? And feel.. good too?" his voice got stronger the more it was used, but it was obvious to her that speaking came with great effort. The meaning of his words sunk in to deal Kaoru a rather jarring shock.

"Kenshin, you're not dead. You came close to dying, but by luck and whatever great strength you possess, you're not dead!" she told him firmly. "You hurt because you're badly injured. Though I have no idea what caused it."

That confession seemed to have spoke to the man the loudest, for at this point, he forced his eyes to open. Though glassy and dazed, those deep indigo orbs sought her out. She gasped and smiled to him when his pained gaze locked onto her.

"See?" she fished his right hand out of the thick shell of blankets and clasped it in the both of her own. "You're very much alive. Though, your wounds are pretty bad, I patched them as best I could. You're conscious and have no fever, which means no infection thus far. I think you've made it through the worst of it."

Kenshin let his eyes close for a moment as Kaoru could see him relax in a sign of relief. She smiled and gave his hand a squeeze. Though sluggish, the hand squeezed back, letting her know he was still awake and aware.

"Where?" came the next whispered question.

"You're in a cabin in the mountains in Washington. We've got a bad snowstorm moving through, that's why it's so loud outside. No doubt, we'll all be stranded for a few days because of it. But, I happened to have been coming back from picking up supplies when I found you out on the road, so we should be fine till then."

"Oh," his answer was short and simple. Kaoru found herself not quite happy with it.

"Do you think you can handle drinking some tea if I make it? I can give you some meds for the pain if you can manage it."

"I can.. try."

"Okay. I'm going to go put the water on to boil. I'll be right back. I promise."

Kaoru got a grunt for a reply. She gently released his hand to get up and stride into the kitchen. There, she quickly filled a kettle with water and set it on the propane stove to heat. The moment she was done, she returned to Kenshin's side. "I gather that it's hard, but try to keep with me until the tea is done. Talk to me. Do you remember what happened to you?"

"No. I remember.. darkness. Then white.. and cold. And you. That's.. that's it," he confessed. Kaoru blushed. He seemed to weakly smile at her for it, though she had no idea why. Quickly, she moved on, brushing the incident aside.

"You mean outside? When I found you in the road?"

"I think so."

"Okay. Yes, you were really cold when I got to you. I was scared that the cold might kill you if the bleeding didn't. But you seem to carry a great fighting strength with you," she told him with a smile as she let her fingers run through his hair in a gesture she knew he found soothing. This time, though still weakly, he truly did smile at her.

"Thank you. For saving me. Though, I question.. whether I deserve it," he told her. He hadn't meant to speak the latter part, but it just slipped out of its own accord. Well, what was done was done. He sighed, then winced at a brief flare of pain the movement created in his side.

"Don't talk like that," she gently scolded. Then she smiled, "I'm more than happy to have leant a hand. Everyone needs it every once in a while. This is my good deed for the year. So Santa Claus can come bring me that camera I want so badly."

He opened his eyes to look at her as what sounded suspiciously like an "oro" slipped out of his mouth. Kaoru blinked then giggled at him. A smirk tugged at the corners of his mouth, "You're silly."

"Hey, my friend Megumi says humor is the best medicine in the world," Kaoru grinned gleefully. She could feel the blush back on her cheeks, but for some odd reason, she was beyond caring for the moment. In the next moment, the tea kettle started its whistle. "Oh! I'll be right back. Don't go anywhere!" she piped, though still trying to keep quiet enough as to not wake the snoring twelve year old in the next room.

Kenshin blinked. "Sure, I won't…" he paused briefly to hiss at another annoying flare of pain," …go anywhere. Unless Santa's.. become a taxi driver."

Kaoru took the kettle off the burner then turned to look at him. She chortled at his own display of whit even while enduring agonizing pain from his injuries. As she poured the water into a couple of waiting cups, the thought occurred to her the level of intelligence he was using despite how scrambled his mind was at the moment. 'This guy just gets more and more intriguing,' she thought to herself as she set the kettle aside and fished out a pill from the five remaining in a bottle of Tylenol 3. She was thankful she'd thought enough to save a few from Yahiko's last incident for just such an occasion. She set the cups and pill on a TV tray then carried the tray into the living room.

Upon reaching the couch, she set the tray on the floor then knelt down. Glancing around, she gathered several throw pillows. Having watched her, Kenshin was on the same page and attempting to sit up when she returned with the pillows. She smiled and stuffed them carefully behind him. Her heart ached at watching him wince from the pain his moving invoked, "I'm sorry. Hopefully by tomorrow, it'll be a bit better for you."

"It's.. okay. I'm – I can.. handle it," he answered between pants from exertion. Though memory was still a bit hard to grasp through the miasma of pain, instinct forced him to change the manner in which he answered her. 'Only tell her what she needs to know and give no reason for her to suspect anything,' a lurking serious side to his mind told him. He obliged to comply.

"Here, this should ease the pain a bit. I managed to save some Tylenol 3 from when Yahiko broke his leg last year. Living out here, one never knows when stuff like this will become handy. Life is funny about throwing curveballs like this isn't it?" she chattered as she held out the pill and the cup. With her assistance he downed the pill with a few sips of tea. Though she made him keep his consumption of the substance slow, the cup was still emptied before long.

Kenshin relaxed against the pillows enjoying the warm wet feeling the tea made within him. His stomach was obviously happy about having finally received something in the way of nourishment. "That felt good," he voiced.

"I'm glad," Kaoru grinned as she sipped her drink.

Kenshin suddenly frowned at an occurring thought, "How did – How did you.. know my name?"

"My little brother, Yahiko, found your wallet and drivers license in what was left of your clothes when I was tending to your wounds. I'm sorry to say, but I had to cut most of the clothing off to avoid aggravating your wounds. But Yahiko found some of our Dad's old clothes to put you in for now," Kaoru said, talking fast out of embarrassment when she got to the part about the fate of his clothes. She averted her eyes as she felt that awful blush scorch her cheeks and drank her tea in gulps. A soft repressed sound met her ears causing her to look up. Though it pained him, he was laughing at her out right in soft chuckles that somehow stoked a small flame inside her.

"And.. your name would be?" he arched a crimson brow at her as he inquired.

"Oh my god! How could I be so _stupid_! I'm so sorry. Please forgive my rudeness!" she babbled, managing to blush still more. "My name's Kaoru Kamiya."

"Pretty name. It suits you," he answered honestly.

"Th-thank you. I like yours too," she stuttered. suddenly feeling awkward. Inside, Kenshin wondered just how many more shades she was capable of blushing at this point. Though, for some reason, he didn't really care in the end. He found it seemed to make her all the more radiant as the delusional moment he first saw her out in the snow.

"So it's just.. you and your brother here, I take it?"

"Yeah. Our parents passed away a few years ago. I took the money we had and moved us out here away from all the human chaos. I homeschool my brother and make money off of paintings and photographs I create from the local scenery. It's not easy, but I'm not sure I would want to live any other way than out enjoying nature's paradise."

"Wow. I'm sorry. To hear about your parents, I mean. Although, it seems as though you've really taken life by the horns. You've made something worthy of being proud of," he told her. Already, he could feel the medicine he'd taken kicking in and dulling some of the pain. Just that much made it easier for him to speak his mind. Though, he knew it wouldn't be long before exhaustion knocked him out. He couldn't care less. Sitting here conversing with her felt insanely good at the moment, and he wasn't about to waste any of it.

"Thank you. I do certainly try."

"As long as you try your best, that's all that really matters. You have some amazing strength yourself, going through that, taking on so much responsibility, and doing so well with it. How many people would have been able.. to do what you did for me today?"

Again, Kaoru blushed at his generous compliments, "I took a few classes on first aid a couple of years ago. Then, one of my girlfriends is an excellent doctor. She taught me a few things as well."

"So, you knew where and who to go to in order to prepare yourself for this. I call that being damn smart."

"You're feeling better, aren't you?" Kaoru laughed, trying to turn the attention off herself, hoping that the blush on her face hadn't become permanent.

"Yes, I am. Thank you," he smiled, amused by her modesty.

"I'm glad. If there's anything else you need, please let me know. At any time. I've camped out over there for the night just so I could be around should you need anything."

It was Kenshin's turn to blush, "Thank you. That's very kind of you. Though, I'm fine for now." His wondering eyes caught sight of a clock on the counter in the kitchen and he realized just how late it was: 3:43 in the morning. Guilt and sorrow at ending the chitchat so soon filled his belly, "I'm keeping you up when you probably have things to do tomorrow. I'm sorry."

"Oh, no. Not to worry. I don't mind it a bit. Besides, what else are little brothers for?" she responded with a gleeful grin, causing Kenshin to chuckle softly. "And with all that snow, we're not exactly going to Disney Land anyway, so it really isn't a biggie. As long as you're comfortable, I'm happy."

"Well, earlier when I had less of my mind functioning, had it not been for the pain, I would have thought myself in heaven. Complete with one diligent angel watching over me. So, I can assure you, I'm quite comfortable," he admitted. He frowned when he saw tears welling in her eyes. "Wha-"

"I'm glad you're all right. I know I've only just met you, and back when I was patching you up, you were still a stranger. But, if you'd died while you were here, I.." her words died as she found herself unable to speak the rest of that thought. Kenshin, bizarre as it was, felt a fluttering of shock within him. Just as her smile and sweet blush warmed him, tears in her eyes didn't sit well with him at all. Abandoning thoughts of why for now, he simply acted on instinct, which brought him to use his uninjured right arm to gently embrace her in a consoling manner.

"It's okay. Thanks to you, I'll be fine, Kaoru. Please don't cry. You're much prettier when you smile," he whispered softly into her ear. His compliment did its job in bringing a smile back to her face.

"Are you always this charming to the girls you meet?"

Kenshin chuckled with a grin as his arm released her, "Not usually, no. I try to be polite, but that doesn't always work."

"Heh, yeah. I bet you have to beat the fan girls off of you with a stick," she grinned.

"In Santa Monica, pointing behind them and saying, 'Oh, it's Brad Pitt!' tends to work better," he laughed.

"That's evil. I love it!" Kaoru giggled along. "Speaking of which, Santa Monica is a long way from here. Is there anyone out there you recall the need to get in contact with?"

"No. Not at present."

"Okay. That one had been bugging me since we brought you in," she said with a serious pondering look as though she were trying to think of anything else she should ask. Suddenly, her attention was diverted back to Kenshin as she felt calloused fingers brush the last of her tears away from her eyes.

"Words can't say how much I appreciate your kindness. There aren't enough people like you in this awful world. I consider myself fortunate to have wound up where you would find me," he said softly with a strange emotion in his indigo eyes that seemed to swallow her up like miniature twilight skies.

"Can you remember anything more about the accident yet, or is it still foggy?"

"No. Nothing but your arrival," he replied, shaking his head gently. "I remember actually thinking you _were_ an angel at the time," he said with a tender smile on his face. "Actually, truth be known, I still consider you one. You not only made me aware that I'm not dead, you saved my life."

"I can't help but lend aid to those who need it," Kaoru told him as she felt her face light up with a new touch of rose.

"You're all the more angelic and beautiful for it," he whispered as he admired the color upon her face. The next then he knew, his lips were brushing hers as his eyes fluttered closed. The kiss, as gentle as it was, sent tiny sparks through the both of them. Having never imagined such a feeling could come from a simple kiss, Kaoru moaned softly as she became putty in his renewed embrace. By the time they broke, her mind had left her as dazed as he had been.

"We should.. get some sleep," he mumbled, though still warring with himself to let go of her warm body. 'How could I have known her only this long and already be so damn addicted? She's worse than opium!'

"Uh-huh," came Kaoru's automatic answer.

Kenshin smiled as he grew lethargic and leaned over to press a kiss to her forehead, "Good night, Kaoru."

"G'night," she mumbled back as he let her go. She wandered back over to her sleeping bag and climbed in. She turned on her side to watch him, but a minute didn't pass before sleep had stolen her away.

'I'll have to try kissing her again when I have more strength,' he noted mentally before settling in to sleep some more himself. That night, his dreams became filled with a meadow smelling angel rather than the usual blood-filled nightmares he was use to.

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Penguine's Piece

Because I post my stories simultaneously on two different sites, I find it easiest list replies to both sites on the same file. FFnet replies always come first followed by MMorg. Though, this time there weren't any reviews from MMorg, so that section has been left off until someone does send in a review on that site.

FFnet Review Replies:

**Anonymous:** You gots a name? -lol- I'm not sure how I would do if I were in that situation, personally. I handle human injuries better than animal ones though, so maybe. Needles don't really bother me unless it's ME they're poking. Then I get nervous. I do NOT like IVs. Nope, nope, nope!

**1kenshinlover:** Heh! Wait 'til ya get to chapter 3. ; )

**rockandfly**: Since I've now got 3, 4, and 5 completed, updates will be fairly soon. I just gotta give my beta time to read through them and point out where I've been stupid. -lol-

**MyImaginaryInuyasha**: Hello again! -glompies- This story snuck up behind me last week and went WHAP! WRITE ME! I agree, a lot of the Kenshin stories are weird and/or poorly written. It's sad. : ( But I love Battousai and have been wanting to write something using him for a while now. So… bada-boom-bada-bing!

**Human Chew Toy**: How did you do that? You hit it almost right on the money! Are ya psychic or something? -giggles- You know, I've been rather cold myself through most of the writing of this. I spent the weekend sleeping down in the basement den while bombing out an invasion of mini red ants in my room. Plus it was rather cool over the weekend on top of that, so I had the fire place going half the time. Really got me into the mood.

I also give out thanks to the following other FFnet reviewers: **wc girl**, **reignashii**, **LynGreenTea**.


	3. Tempest

**Winter Fire**

_Chapter Three – Tempest_

Beta-read by: Human Chew Toy

Fore-note: Mentioned in the following chapter is a Japanese blade called a wakizashi. The wakizashi is a short sword between 12 and 24 inches in length. It was worn by Japanese swordsmen in combination with the standard katana, a sword normally measuring between 24 and 30 inches in length. Collectively, the two swords are called a daishō, and are worn with the curve and blade angled upward.

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Darkness reigned as the solitary figure crept its way through the grimy streets. A bitter wind, fore-telling the coming of winter, swept through the area, nipping at whatever flesh was unfortunate enough to be left vulnerable to its attack. The figure paused to adjust the collar of his thick wool-lined coat before continuing on his trek. It wasn't far now.

Up ahead, he sighted an alley between the four and five story brick buildings that lined the streets in this older and less tidy part of town. Speeding up, the figure slipped from shadow to shadow until he came upon the alley. Swiftly, he ducked in and down between a dumpster and a pile of busted crates and soggy cardboard boxes.

Himura took a long extra cautious moment to sweep his keen eyes of frigid blue over his environment, searching for any hint of danger or resistance to his coming. As expected, he found nothing save for a pair of rats and a black cat that stalked them some ways down the alley. Just behind the cat was the fire escape Himura planned to use as his method of entering the targeted apartment.

At his post, the one codenamed Battousai watched the cat carefully, waiting for his chance to get to the fire escape. Seeing as the cat was taking its good old time stalking the rats, Battousai decided to create a catalyst. Picking up several pebbles, he took careful aim and threw them at the rats. Finding themselves in a sudden rainstorm of rocks, the rats bolted for safe ground in a hole in the foundation of one of the buildings. The cat turned its eyes on him and hissed before streaking the other way out of the alley.

With the cat now out of the way, Battousai left his corner of concealment beside the dumpster and left side building wall. Silent as the grave, he leapt up to grab the ladder descending from the first landing of the fire escape. Swiftly, he began ascending the network of cold iron bars until he reached the fourth floor landing. There, he paused to once again take into consideration the condition of his surroundings. With no sound out of the ordinary, he continued his advance.

The glass in the window before him had already been broken long ago and sealed over with duct tape. Battousai withdrew his wakizashi from its sheath and used the blade tip to slice open the deteriorating tape. Sheathing the wakizashi, he slipped a pre-manipulated wire coat hanger out of his coat and stuck it through a hole in the broken glass, made once again available by the wakizashi. Once he had the tip inside, he angled it to snake upwards and back till the loop he'd made in the wire snagged on the window latch. Carefully, he pulled, hoping the latch would throw this first try. Strangely, it slid as though it were brand new and well oiled.

For now, Himura thought nothing of the bizarre occurrence as he retrieved his hanger and slipped it back into his jacket. Next, he again drew the wakizashi and slipped it through a crack in the glass, using the tip to make the crack wide enough for the blade to pass. He slid the blade in and up until it struck the underside of the latch. Finally, Himura gradually applied strength into the hilt until the windowpane began to slide upward in its track.

Once the window was open enough for his left hand to slide through, he used the hand to hold the window open while the right hand returned the wakizashi to its sheath. Next, he crept in through the window without a sound. On the other side, he grabbed the pot of a plant sitting on the sill and set it in the window to hold it open. Moving away from the window now, he slipped into the next phase of his mission: locating the target.

This phase was entirely simple as the sounds of the target's loud snoring gave away his location immediately. Brows settling into a line of both intimidation and calm, yet firm, determination, Battousai stalked through the shadows of the apartment to the wide open bedroom door. There, in the sea of blankets covering the bed was the target – sound asleep and completely ignorant of the predatory intruder now watching him.

Closing in on the target, Battousai padded silently into the room and over to the bedside. Staring down at the target with nonchalant contempt for he who had been damned by Himura's commander, Battousai placed his hand on the hilt of his katana before uttering words in a deep ominous voice of impending death, "By the decree of the leaders of this nation, you have been sentenced to death."

A blur of cold bluish steel followed the conclusion of his short speech, giving the target not a chance to move a muscle let alone make a sound. The metallic smell of blood filled the air as blood sprayed across the bed and splattered the walls and ceiling in a gruesome masterpiece of murderous art. Yet, as Battousai went to leave his trademark singular fragrant sakura blossom in respectful prayer for he whom had just passed by Battousai's own blade, the room suddenly filled with light.

Blinking at the sudden brightness, Battousai looked around with a sneering look of shock and promise of death to those who dared to toy with him. What he found was a sea of faces, each of which he'd seen before, moments before his blade had ended their lives. Grinning grotesquely, they began to laugh at him while pointing to the body he'd just rendered lifeless.

"No! This can't be!" he shouted in sudden horror. "No! This isn't right! This isn't real! I had nothing to do with your deaths but the end! I was only doing my duty! Honest!" he pleaded as he watched them continue to laugh, only louder while still pointing. He turned to look at the body they pointed to. This time there was no blanket covering the body, and the body wasn't that of a fat, _male_, pompous spy. It was the body of his girlfriend, Tomoe Yukishiro.

Battousai's heart leapt into his throat as he let out a scream he barely and belatedly recognized as his own, "No! Tomoe! _No!_"

He rushed to her side and plucked her up into his arms, clutching her limp, broken, and profusely bleeding body. Those whom he'd killed continue to roar in laughter at his misfortune as tears of sorrow, horror, and anguish streamed down his young face, which he could feel bleeding from a crisscross wound on his left cheek. "Tomoe," he moaned. "I didn't mean to. I didn't know it was you. Please believe me! I didn't know it was you. I was after a spy," he reasoned. "I must be going mad. I swear I saw his body in the bed when I swung my blade! I _swear_ it! Oh gods, Tomoe!" he cried in complete and utter despair at her loss to his own ignorant bloodstained hands.

"No…" he muttered as he rocked her back and forth in his arms. "No," he cried more forcefully as he hugged her tightly, shuddering as her blood continued to pour out, bathing him in crimson to match his hair. "To...mo...e..." he panted as he rocked, the pain and stress still mounting. "No.. No… NOOOOOOOOOO!"

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Kaoru awoke to a room bathed in morning sunlight. Yawning, she stretched then snuggled into her warm bedding with a contented smile. 'Really now, it's too early to get up yet,' her mind reasoned as she let herself begin to drift back into the land of sleep.

"...No."

Frowning at the soft sound that seemed an awful lot like someone whimpering the word "no", Kamiya frowned as she rolled to glance in the direction the sound had come from. Instantly, she discovered what had truly woken her in the first place. It seemed as though Kenshin was in the middle of the throes of a particularly nasty dream. From where she lay, she could see the beads of sweat dotting his brow and rolling down his face when he tossed his head in protest to whatever was happening inside his mind.

"No!" this time, his voice was stronger, though tinged with nuances of what she could only describe as horror. He muttered a name she could not decipher then continued moaning the word "no" as he tossed as much as his injured body would allow on the couch.

"Kenshin!" Kaoru called out softly as she rose and dashed over to his side, attempting to wake him from the nightmare that ensnared him. Her words fell on deaf ears.

"No.. no…" his head continued to toss frantically as hands gripped the blankets with a white-knuckled death grip.

"Kenshi-" Kaoru started as she reached out to grip his shoulders.

Yet before her hands touched him, he shot straight up in his make-shift bed, eyes snapping open to reveal a momentary startling brilliant amber as he screamed, "NOOO!"

"Kenshin! It's all right! You're all right. It was just a dream," Kaoru told him as she gripped his shoulder and stroked his crimson hair. She shushed as she watched him adjust to the realization of waking from a mere nightmare. Now she was wondering if she'd even seen the amber at all as his eyes regarded her in a darkening blue that faded into indigo the more his mind cleared.

Outside, a new wave of winter tempest seemed to be rolling in as the wind rattled the cabin and snow ticked against the windows. From the sounds of Yahiko's snoring in the next room, Kaoru realized the noise of the storm had thankfully been enough to drown out Kenshin's voice. Thankful that her little brother wouldn't be interrupting just yet, Kaoru let herself relax as well. Shushing in a soothing voice, she gently pushed her injured guest back down against the pillows as he fought to catch his breath and wit.

"Good boy. Calm down. It's all right. It was just a dream. You're safe here. I promise. Shhhh," she cooed. Kenshin's eyes closed for a minute, then slowly fluttered open anew.

"Sorry," he muttered in a defeated tone.

"About what? There's nothing to be sorry about. Dreams are things we can do little about beyond simply waking from them. Everyone has them. It's nothing to be ashamed of."

"Bu-"

"Hush. I won't let you beat yourself up for something that isn't your fault!" she reprimanded softly. Kenshin blinked and looked at her in surprise. Though she couldn't for the life of her figure out why. The next thing she knew, his good right arm was pulling her down into a trembling embrace.

"Still, you selflessly save me, unknowing," he whispered in an unsteady voice that for some strange reason sounded totally alien to this man. Kaoru was about to question him, but his continuing words stopped her, "Thank you. Angel… Kaoru."

"Kenshin," Kaoru whined in a voice filled with a tone of embarrassment as that signature blush bloomed in her cheeks once more. "Silly boy. I already told you, I'm more than happy to help. You're going to make me turn into a cherry tomato." After short thought on her words, she added in a semi-serious tone, "Then Santa will entertain thoughts of eating me come Christmas instead of giving me that camera."

Kenshin blinked incredulously. Then in a serious tone of his own, "Quit making Santa out to be a pervert. You know what they say. Leave him cheese."

A quite fit of giggles erupted from the young woman he still held hostage against his chest. He felt her arms snake around his neck and raised a brow at her. Her beautiful voice drifted up to him at a near-whispering volume, "Just promise me one thing. Please?"

"What's that?"

"Promise me you won't scare me. Promise me you won't let yourself even think of entertaining depressing ideas of dying as a guest in my house. Please?"

"Kaoru," Kenshin mumbled with a sigh. "I promise. I couldn't bear to do that to you after all you've done to keep me in the world of the living. I promise," he complied.

"Do you want to talk about it? The dream?" she asked gently. Then she added, "Only if you want to though. I just want to help you feel better. So, we don't have to if you don't want to."

"I wouldn't want to tarnish what looks like the start of a beautiful day in spite of the storm with a conversation like that. Besides, talking about silly things is far more rewarding," he answered as his arm gave her form a gentle squeeze. His hand then rubbed idly at her back in a natural motion unknown to him. He felt Kaoru shift her legs until she was seated in a more comfortable position at his side.

"Okay. If silly things make you feel better, then we'll talk about silly things. On that note, would you like to buy a duck?" she grinned, not objecting to the hand he moved against her back as her head lay upon his chest, her hair brushing his chin. A sudden after-thought made her frown, and she looked up at him, "I'm not hurting you, am I?"

"No, you're fine," he smiled in a flattered fashion. "A duck?"

"Yes, a duck."

"Does it have feathers?"

"Of course, it does. It's a duck."

"Oh! A duck!"

"Would you like to buy a duck?

"Would you like to buy a goat?" Kenshin laughed as gingerly as he could, "I haven't heard that one played in a long time."

"Yahiko taught it to me, amidst all the other crazy crap he picked up back when he was in public schools," Kaoru grinned, happy that he knew the game.

"I think I was in grade school when I learned it as well," he nodded. Kaoru took the pause to sit up and glance at the clock.

"8:31. Hmm," she turned back to him. "Would you care for some breakfast? I could whip up some soup. I know it isn't exactly great American breakfast food, but it's better for your stomach just yet.

"That sounds fine to me. I'm not picky," he answered, then gave thought to a more pressing matter. He forced his face not to show idiotic embarrassment to a perfectly natural question. "Pardon, but might you direct me to your facility?"

As it was, Kaoru blushed enough for him and her both, "Oh! I'm sorry. It's two doors down the hall there. Here, let me help you stand."

"Thank you," he replied simply as he allowed her to assist him with getting to his feet. He hissed as pain flared in his injuries and shot throughout his body. Kaoru's face contorted with worry, but he merely paused to allow it to pass before continuing to stand up. During that time, Kaoru had grabbed a crutch from nearby. He realized she'd left a pair of them beside the couch sometime last night for him to use. "One step ahead, I see."

"Yeah. But you can't thank me for that one. Yahiko thought of it last night."

"I'll remember to mention it later," he said as he took the crutch with his right arm and draped his left around her neck. He then divided his weight amongst her, his good leg, and the crutch. Pain still flared through him at the movement, but the current position certainly helped in getting from place to place. Then again, he wasn't against a bit of pain. He knew it was a part of healing and moving kept his muscles functioning as properly as possible.

"You have a really high tolerance for pain, don't you?" Kaoru commented.

"Though I didn't way back then, I thank the man who fostered me for that. Then again, with how thickheaded I tend to be, I suppose it was required when putting up with me for all those years," he chuckled through grunts and hisses at angry nerves. Kaoru smiled ruefully.

"My father was the same way with the two of us. I, too, am thankful for it."

"I'm sure he is very proud of you for all you've done."

"Thanks. I hope so and certainly try my best to earn it."

"Have no worries about that, Angel," he smiled as she carefully escorted him across the room and down the short hall to the bathroom. His words inspired one of those blushes in her he'd already come to love so dearly. Once at the bathroom, he spoke up again, "I can handle it from here. Thank you."

"If you're sure of it, then okay. Though, if you need anything, I'll be more than willing to fetch my brother to help," she told him.

"You are simply too cute," he chuckled as he hobbled in. "Go on. I'll be all right," he smiled then shut the door in his wake. Kaoru made a beeline to the kitchen to heat up the leftover soup from last night.

Fifteen minutes later saw Kenshin blissfully relieved and sitting on the couch sipping at his soup. Kaoru sat next to him nibbling on a bagel with a cup of tea sitting on the end table to her left side. A faint contented smile was perpetually stuck on her face as she found morning silence with him just as enjoyable as the silly banter of earlier. If she didn't know better, she would think she was growing smitten with him.

'Idiot! How could you be smitten when you only just met him yesterday? You barely even know the guy yet, for crying out loud!' she mentally chided. 'Then again… that was one hell of a kiss last night. Did he start that, or did I in some lapse of childish behavior? But.. Does it really matter? I could have sworn he seemed just as into it as I,' her mind continued to debate with itself silently.

Kenshin watched the strange play of expressions crossing her face, from irritation to wonder to bashfulness to an emotion that left her starry-eyed. "Are you all right?" he asked with more curiosity by that time than concern.

"Oh!" she snapped out of her reverie with a deer-in-headlights look. "Yes, I'm sorry. My mind just took a momentary detour down Stupidity Street."

"From what I've witnessed from you thus far, I rather wonder at the accuracy of that word when used to refer to you. However, I'll take it as you say for now," he chuckled.

"Oh, we're being a smart ass now, hmm? I see how it is. If you don't normally show girls this much charm, then what _do_ you do? And what makes me so different?" she retorted wantonly.

Kenshin laughed, the bold rich sound stirring something warm and delicious within her, "I generally try to avoid them if I can. They're usually out simply for a good romp with a good-looking guy. Preferably with a decent amount of cash for them to blow at Blooming Dales. Honestly, you're way out of they're league because… One, you have a brain. Two, you use that brain. Three, you're incredibly responsible for your age. Four, you're kind. Five, you actually give a damn. Six, you're a joy to be around. Seven, you're obviously talented. Eight, despite knowing you for less than twenty-four hours, I can sense you're entirely honest. Nine, you're beauty naturally out-shines all those chicks with their layers of make-up and other fake crap. And ten, oh yeah! You saved my life by taking me, a complete stranger, in, and knowing how to treat my wounds."

Kaoru sat staring at him in awe at the words that just fell from his mouth. She felt if she blushed any more she would burst. "Wow. Umm, I'm flattered that you feel that way. Thank you," she said softly, surprising herself at the ability to find words when he was doing a good job at clouding her mind with warm romantic fluff.

He leaned over to peck a kiss to her right temple, "You're most welcome."

She downed the last of her bagel and tea then stood to carry their empty dishes into the kitchen. A minute later, she returned to retake her seat beside him. "How are those wounds doing? Given that it's been well over sixteen hours since you arrived, they're probably overdue for a round of attention."

"Wow, that long huh? Okay," he nodded and proceeded to carefully go about removing the button-up pumpkin orange shirt he'd been dressed in. She helped him get it off then moved to kneel on the floor in front of him as she first carefully unwrapped the bandage around his mid-section. He winced at the removal of the final portion covering the wound directly but didn't complain. Instead, he raised a brow in admiration at her handy work.

"It looks angry but it doesn't seem to be infected. Nor does it seem to be bleeding at all," Kaoru mused, more to herself than anyone.

"Agreed. Nice job. I know far too many who'd faint at the mere sight of blood from anyone."

"I'm use to patching myself and my little brother. We're both gifted at finding ways to unintentionally abuse our bodies," she said wryly.

"I understand that one. I was pretty good at it myself as a kid," he laughed.

Kaoru busied herself for the next little while cleaning and replacing his bandages with fresh ones. Meanwhile, they entertained one another with more casual small talk. Kenshin watched her carefully, helping out where he could, as she completed her tasks in tending to his medical needs. In all, his wounds were pretty raw still, but looking good. The one on his left arm happened to be the one worrying her the most now as it seemed to reopened a tiny bit while he'd thrashed in his nightmare. Other than that, they appeared to be doing fine.

After that, Kaoru but the first aid supplies away then convinced him to allow her to give his hair a washing. She set him up in her adjustable desk chair positioned at the kitchen sink. Then she leaned him back to wash his hair in the sink as if she were a beautician. Tiny talents she used to make ends meet never ceased to amaze him throughout the morning.

'How can it be that such a wonderful girl hasn't a worshipping husband already?' he wondered as her fingers worked their magic through his hair. After finishing, she toweled as much water as she could from his hair then wheeled the chair across the hardwood floor to the hearth. Of course, she just had to amuse him with silly car sounds along the way.

They chatted still more as they waited the thirty minutes for the fire to dry his hair. She then went to work with a brush, gently working the knots out of it. If it hadn't been for her lovely voice keeping him talking, he was sure he would have fallen asleep to her tender ministrations.

When, at last, Kaoru had gotten Kenshin's hair properly cleaned and brushed, she bound it back into a low ponytail with one of the many little black bands she kept around for her own. At that point, she helped him settle back onto the couch before sitting herself down next to him once more.

"Man, that is one hell of a storm out there. Did it snow all night? I don't seem to remember there being that much out there when you picked me up," he commented as he watched the white stuff continue to fall and drift outside the window.

"No. It was only just starting then. Actually, it drizzled rain for the most part when it started yesterday. Then, just a few minutes before I got to you, it changed over to snow. It stopped in a few places over night I think, but… yeah, I think we're in for a few days of confinement to the cabin pretty much."

"Even with my current condition, I think I lucked out. I don't mind the wait, and I trust you and this doctor friend of yours that taught you far more than I do the idiots getting paid the big bucks in the hospitals to do what you've been doing."

"Ehh, I'll call Megumi over once it clears up enough for her to travel out this far. But, I warn you, she's a clingy fox," Kaoru giggled.

"Oh, she is hmm? I'll just have to use you as a shield then, won't I?" Kenshin deviously wiggled a brow.

"If you wish to make her jealous, that's one sure way of doing it," she laughed in return. The warm blush on her cheeks and the mood in the air renewed the chemistry that had erupted last night. This time, Kaoru saw it in his eyes as it arose. Yet, she was powerless to do anything but what her heart and body told her to. Her eyes drifted shut as her lips met his in the middle.

At once, the two could feel the sparks shoot through their blood, feeding a fire that grew stronger with each passing minute they spent in each other's company. Arms slipped around to equally embrace the other as Kenshin let his lips silently teach Kaoru the art of proper kissing. A break for air lasted only a brief moment before they drew together again. This time, his tongue traced the seam of her lips, which obeyed the unspoken request without hesitation. His tongue then entered the cavern of her mouth to savor her unique taste as it played silly little games with her tongue. Kaoru moaned into his mouth as she went boneless and dazed under the power of his intoxicating aura and attentions.

If the morning hadn't decided to take that time to start catching up to him, Kenshin would have had a problem keeping a certain part of him from being noticed. However, he'd done a lot in the pas couple of hours he'd been awake. Now, his body was starting to crave a nap. As Kaoru broke for air, she came to notice this. Smiling, she shifted herself then tugged him gently over sideways to lie on his left side with his head in her lap. He gave her a look of surprise, but did not object. Then again, she didn't exactly let him either.

"Shush. Rest. I'm your shield, remember?" she giggled. "I'll guard you from those nightmares for a while. Enjoy it while you can. Yahiko's twelve and will annoy the crap out of you when you wake."

"As you wish it, Angel," he responded with a soft smile as he let his eyes close. He felt her fingers begin moving through his hair once more and purred softly for the several seconds he remained awake. Then, he was out like a light to sleep sounder than he had in years.

"Sleep well, Kenshin. I'll keep you safe. I promise," she smiled. Though she, herself, drifted off minutes later, that's still exactly what she did.

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FFnet Review Replies

**Mika** - Yeah, I decided to allow Kenshin to be a little more blunt and forward since he's living as both Kenshin _and_ Battousai. Therefore, he acts a little less subdued.

**KC Evans** - Ah-ha! So you _do _have a name! Bah, I'm just mess'n with ya. -lol- I understand how it is with that technical bit. Done it myself, to be quite honest. : )

**DakBug** - -giggles- Then, I'm sure you'll be pleased to hear that chapter 4 will be released next weekend.

**Human Chew Toy** - -confused expression- Sorry. I no speaka espaniol. Only English and beginner's Japanese. -sweatdrop-

**1kenshinlover** - As much as I would like to pull that trick to get me through chapter 6, I can't. There were certain measures that Kenshin took (which are entirely possible if you know how) when flying to avoid detection in the first place. Therefore, it's next to impossible for the enemy to know where he is right now. There is a lot of wilderness in Washington, and with all that snow, it will be a few days at the least before anyone finds that plane. So, he's got a small pocket of time to make his next move, which he'll be doing in upcoming chapters.

**Eden's Epitaph** - At first, I thought I was moving too fast too. But, I've changed my mind. When I wrote these chapters, I entirely intended on the relationship between Kenshin and Kaoru being whirlwind fast. As far as giving out information, trust me, every bit of it is needed when the ante gets upped in later chapters. Though my first attempt at such a story, this is intended to be a face-paced mercenary cat-and-mouse tale as well as a romance. Most of my attention is focused on the strategies and moves each of the characters will be making in order to achieve their goals.

**MyImaginaryInuyasha** - Yep, he is moving fast, but unlike Wake, that's how this story's going to be. You only have so much time to plan your next move when someone's out there trying to find and kill you. Speaking of Wake, I'm sure you're wondering on that one. I'm having an argument with my muse over what to put in it and what to include in the next chapter. But, I _hope_ to have it finished within a week or two.

**Blackangel831** - Yeah, I loved that line too, truth be known. -lol-

**Sugar High** - It depends on when you choose to schedule your classes. I'm a night owl, so I always pick afternoon and evening classes. Therefore, I'm usually to bed at 1 am and up at 11.

Also thanks to the following FFnet reviewers: **FallenAngelNo.1**, **trigger**, **InuyashaFan**, **NalaravatheRed**, **unicornfan**, **rockandfly**, **Reignashii**, and **LynGreenTea**.

MMorg Review Replies

**akaineko** - Hello red kitty. -giggle- Yes, other Kenshin-gumi will be in this. So will a few Shinsen-gumi, if I can help it. I mean, it would be a sin not to let Okita-kun play too. I'm gonna do some research on his other comrades to see who all else I might can work in for Shinsen-gumi fans. About that line you asked about, you're right on that assumption. Sorry if I confused you.

**Chelisha -** True, Yahiko would normally be a brat. But, that was a time for exception. There was a blizzard going through and they needed to get everything inside. As far as after that goes, he was trying not to mess Kaoru up. Though she's had come lessons, she's no nurse, and caring for wounds like Kenshin's is a big job. Not to worry. He'll be his usual irritating self before long. -lol-


	4. Two to Tango

**Winter Fire**

_Chapter Four – Two to Tango_

Beta-read by: Human Chew Toy

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Yahiko yawned as he flung open his door and stepped out into the living room still dressed in his set of flannel pajamas. An eyebrow instantly quirked when he laid eyes on the pair of adults on the couch. Kaoru was sitting on the right end closest to the kitchen with her head lolled against the armrest and the single throw pillow left there. Kenshin was turned the opposite direction from how he was last night with his head now laying comfortably in Kaoru's lap. Both appeared sound asleep.

'Well aren't they comfy. What is it with adults and the need for mushy stuff?' he snorted as he wandered down the hall to the bathroom. 'Honestly, how long have they known each other, and they're cuddling like married people!' He shut the door behind him just a tad bit louder than he'd meant to.

Kenshin drifted up from the realm of blissfully dreamless sleep to the sound of someone moving about. He heard feet slap carelessly against the hardwood floor and a door click to swing open. The feet padded into the room and stopped. For a pregnant moment, he could feel eyes upon him and feigned slumber. Inside, he chuckled at the expression he imagined to be on Yahiko's face as he caught his big sister in such a controversial position with the strange new guest Yahiko had yet to properly meet.

Kenshin heard the boy snort softly as he spun to saunter down the hall to the bathroom. When the door snapped shut a tad bit hard, Himura let his indigo eyes spring open to gaze in the direction the boy had gone. The withheld smirk of humor crept finally onto Kenshin's face before he transferred his energy to the task of sitting up.

Taking a deep breath in preparation for the onslaught of pain, Kenshin then carefully used his good arm and leg to take the brunt of the effort to sit up while letting the other two limbs act merely as stability support. As expected, the action caused a whole world of pain to rush through him, filling his eyes with stars and scrambling his mind. Yet, he refused to let it cause him to abandon his attempt. Finally, he managed to raise up enough to where he could simply shift his center of gravity to his back and fall backwards against the couch back. He made a soft yelping grunt as his back contacted with the backrest. Exhausted by that single action, he let his eyes fall shut as he let his panting breaths take time to calm. Beside him, Kaoru merely sighed in her sleep as she snuggled into a ball against the armrest.

Kenshin's mind filled with gratitude when he came to understand just how much of her strength she had sacrificed to care for him. Curious as to what the time now was, he allowed his eyes to flutter open and pan to regard the clock on the counter in the kitchen. It's large blue digital numbers and letters read 11:20 am. He had a feeling Yahiko had gotten lucky with his arrival causing Kaoru to allow him to sleep in that late.

Down the hallway, Himura heard the commode flush in the bathroom. Taking another deep breath, he carefully shifted his position just a tiny bit more on the couch. His face registered a wince as he did so, but this time, moving wasn't quite so taxing. Then again he wasn't lifting his own weight, nor moving quite so much either. Having gotten himself more comfortable and appearing slightly less weak in his pose, he turned to glance out the window behind him as he waited.

A couple of minutes later, water turned on then off. Then the door opened and footsteps slapped their way back through the hallway in his direction. Yahiko gasped and froze upon discovering Kenshin was, in fact, quite awake and now sitting up on the couch gazing casually out the front window behind him. Hearing this, Kenshin turned back to meet the boy's gaze.

"It's Yahiko, right?" he asked in a soft voice to create an effective conversational lead in.

"Yeah," the boy nodded. "You're okay?" he asked with genuine concern.

"Yes. Thanks to the two of you," Kenshin gently smiled.

"Not a problem. It's nice having someone around here to talk to besides her," Yahiko replied. "I mean, I love her and all. She's my sister. But... _God!_ She's my _sister_! Having only her to talk to and hear spout chores all day kinda gets irritating after a while," the boy rambled with a pouting frown.

Kenshin quietly laughed, "I can see your point."

"You want anything?" the boy jabbed a thumb towards the kitchen.

"Just water will be fine. Thank you," Kenshin replied.

As the boy spun around and strode purposefully into the kitchen, Kenshin used the boy's distraction to his advantage. Eyeing the pair of crutches leaning against the front of the couch, his mind quickly formulated the next plan of action. Carefully leaning forward, he picked the crutches up one by one with his right hand and laying them on his lap. Next, he stood each of the crutches up and fixed a firm grip on the handle bar in the middle of each crutch. He took a deep breath, pooling his strength, then shifted power into his hips, left leg, and right arm. Pain flared once more, blurring his vision as he rose with a stumbling stagger, but he manage to quickly stabilize himself by draping himself properly over the crutches with the pads propped under his armpits.

Yahiko snapped around, hearing the sounds of Kenshin's movement and started to open his mouth in protest, but Kenshin shook his head and spoke up softly through teeth gritted in pain to stop him, "Hush. I'll be fine. I just need to move a bit."

"But-"

"I can handle it," Kenshin coaxed between pants. He took another minute to recuperate before continuing, thankful that he hadn't woken Kaoru up. "Go back to fixing your breakfast. I'll be all right. I'm just going to move in there so we don't wake your sister up. I have no idea how long she was up last night."

"Okay," Yahiko said in voice that spoke of compliance despite not totally agreeing with him. As he turned around again, Kenshin carefully made his way, one ginger hop at a time over to the kitchen table. Yahiko turned again to watch, jaw dropping the further Kenshin went. One step ahead, the boy had a chair pulled out and ready by the time Kenshin got there. Yahiko wordlessly helped him sit down then took the crutches and leaned them against the table within the man's reach.

"Thank you," Kenshin nodded.

"No problem. That was awesome!" Yahiko answered with quiet enthusiasm, clearly impressed by Kenshin's strength and ability. "Man, you rock!"

"Not really. The worst spots just happen to be in places where moving around like that is still manageable."

"I watched my sister stitch them yesterday. I can barely begin to imagine how much that's gotta hurt."

Kenshin shook his head slowly with a chuckle, "I didn't say it doesn't hurt. I said it was manageable. Finish making your breakfast, silly."

"We have Ty-"

"I know. Kaoru fed me one sometime in the middle of the night last night when I first woke up. I'm all right for now."

"All right. Just making sure," Yahiko shrugged as he turned around to pour the milk into his bowl of cereal. Putting the milk away, he fetched the glass of water he'd already poured and carried it over to the table. He set it down in front of his new friend.

"Thanks," Kenshin said in a soft polite tone.

"No prob," Yahiko nodded, then walked back to get his bowl of frosted flakes and a spoon. Returning again, he sat down across from the man to dig into his cereal. After a couple of bites, he paused to get up and go revive the fire with another log, then returned to resume eating. "So you come from California?"

"Not originally, no. I grew up near Ashville, North Carolina. This place kind of reminds me of the place I lived in back then with my foster dad. He hated civilization and lived in a cabin out in the mountains making homemade pottery the hard way."

"Oh, wow! California's a big change for you then, huh?"

"You bet it is. Sun and people everywhere. Sometimes it's enough to drive a person insane. This is a nice unexpected change," Kenshin mused before sipping at his glass of water. He savored the wetness the filled his mouth and spilled down his throat that remained parched even after the tea and soup he'd had earlier.

"You _must_ be insane if you call getting all cut up like that 'a nice unexpected change'," Yahiko frowned. Kenshin groaned at the witty use of his own words against him.

"I meant the scenery, goofball," he chuckled.

"Have you seen many movie stars out there?"

"Yeah, I suppose so. Though, to me, it doesn't really matter. In the end, they're all just people making a living like I am. They're job just happens to make them more well known."

"So you're not some new guy the camera's just haven't noticed enough yet?" Yahiko blinked. "If not, then what do you do?"

"Me? Heck no," Kenshin laughed, slightly flattered at the implication. "No, I just help companies find people."

"You're a private investigator?"

"Yeah. Pretty much."

"Wow. Is that what brought you up here?"

"Yes, I think so."

"Do you remember at all what happened to you? It's a long way from an interstate and Sis said she didn't see any kind of wreckage anywhere when she found you."

"I can see the family resemblance between the two of you," Kenshin smiled. "You're both highly intelligent."

"Err.. thanks," Yahiko frowned trying to keep the blush from his face. Kenshin turned his attention to his memories, picking through them carefully.

"The reason why.. I wasn't near a highway was because.. I wasn't in a car or truck," he answered with a distant expression.

"What? Then.."

"I was flying in a small single engine, two-seater plane a colleague had built."

"You were in a plane crash!" Yahiko blurted in shock.

"Shhh… Yeah. I owe the fact I came out in one piece to the slow speed I was at when it happened and all the trees that caught the plane when it came down."

"Oh my God, talk about getting majorly lucky!" Yahiko gawked. "Do you have any idea why it went down?"

"Not yet, no."

"Man, bummer."

"With this storm, I'll have plenty of time to think about it."

"True. Very true," the boy nodded. Seeing as his bowl was now empty, he got up to put it into the sink. "Do you need a refill?"

"Sure," Kenshin nodded, passing over his empty glass. Yahiko refilled it and passed it back. He then pulled a deck of cards out of a drawer and returned to his seat.

"Name your game, Kenshin."

"Well, since you're twisting my leg, how about Egyptian Rat's Groove?"

Kaoru awoke to the sound of joyous laughter coming from two male individuals. Squinting, she sat up and panned her gaze to the source of the commotion. To her surprise and amusement, she found Yahiko and Kenshin sitting at the kitchen table playing cards. Kenshin seemed to be having a thoroughly good time in the process. As long as he wasn't in too much pain, she was happy.

"Uh-oh. Ugly is up. Here comes trouble," Yahiko commented. "There. Beat that one Fly Boy."

"What? Why you ungrateful little rat! I'll get you for that!" Kaoru shouted as she shot up and across the room to get within smacking range.

"Oh crap! AAH!" Yahiko yelled as he threw his cards down and bolted. Kenshin laughed as the siblings ran circles around the room, playing their silly game of cat and mouse. The game promptly ended when the phone rang. Kaoru got to it first and Yahiko sat back down at the table.

"Hello?" Kaoru inquired. In the next second, she was side stepping to smack her little brother over the head. "Hold on, Fox," she prompted then turned to Yahiko. "I'm _not_ ugly! Finish your game then go get started on your lessons for the day."

"Well I can tell the two of you seem to be holding up all right," Megumi laughed on the other end as she listened to the siblings squabble.

"Yeah, _we_ are. But we have a new guest that's a little worse for wear. When the storm lets up and conditions are safe enough, I need you to take a trip out here to take a look at him. I've patched him up as well as possible. And he's up and seems to be doing well. But, he really needs to see a doctor as soon as possible," Kaoru informed her.

"He?" Megumi questioned with sudden interest.

"Get a grip, Megumi. Can you come when it gets better out, or not?" Kaoru growled.

"Ooh. A bit possessive, I see. Just who is this mysterious guest, and what exactly is wrong with him?"

"Answer my question."

"Oh, calm down, Tanuki. You know I will. Don't worry about it. I'll be out there as soon as it clears up enough to travel. Does he have a name or do I have to make one up for him?"

"His name is Kenshin. Here, I'll let you talk to him. You can ask him your medical questions," Kaoru told her before passing the phone to Kenshin. "This is Megumi, the doctor friend of mine that I told you taught me how to do that stuff I did yesterday."

Kenshin nodded and took the phone, "Hello Megumi."

"Hello Kenshin. Might you give me a run down of your condition so that I know what to prepare for when I get the chance to come over?"

"Sure. Lacerations on right side and thigh. Also one on my left arm. Kaoru stitched them superbly yesterday evening immediately after getting me inside. Each wound was checked, re-cleaned, and re-bandaged this morning. None appear to be infected. I was a bit out of it yesterday upon arrival, but that's passed," Kenshin explained, slipping into a professional serious tone out of habit.

"My, aren't you on top of things, sir. Though, the injuries you describe sound rather severe. Can you tell me what caused them?"

"Yes, but can you wait on that until you arrive. Since I'm still unsure of the cause of the event, I'm going to be careful what kind of information I give out. Sorry."

"Oh, okay. I understand. Can you tell me your age, Ken-san?"

"Twenty-eight. If it's any help, I'm five foot five and weigh about 160 lbs."

"All right. I will try my best to make it out there sometime tomorrow. Until then, try to keep them from getting wet aside from careful cleansing every twelve hours. Rest and try not to jar the wounds too much, else they could re-open."

"Yes, I understand. This.. isn't exactly the first time I've been injured, so the drill is rather familiar to me by now. Thank you for making time to come out in this awful mess. I appreciate it."

"You're most welcome, Ken-san."

The day ticked by at a comfortable leisurely pace. Kenshin found himself quickly becoming a member of the household as he helped Yahiko with his math and history lessons. Later, he assisted Kaoru with the cooking. As Yahiko cleaned up from dinner, he returned to the couch where Kaoru pulled out Monopoly onto the coffee table. In the end, Kenshin won with Kaoru in a close second. At that point, Yahiko dismissed himself to bed with a yawn. Kenshin sat enjoying the warmth of the fire as Kaoru tidied up for the night.

"You can hit the hay in my bed, if you like. I'll take the couch. I really don't mind," she said softly, smiled at his lightly closed eyes as she sat down. Those deep indigo orbs reopened and panned to gaze upon her.

"The couch is fine. I don't want to kick you out of your own bed. You need rest just as much as I do with all that you do around this house."

"You're the one who's injured, Himura," she pointed out with a sly expression. A bizarre look entered his eyes, and just as she was trying to decipher it, he closed in to deal her a kiss of a hungry nature rather than the gentle ones of before. A faint growl rumbled in his chest as he did so, fingers of his right hand dipping into her raven tresses as the palm supported her head. Kaoru squeaked then moaned as fire shot through her core. His previous kisses were nothing compared to this one as it blew her mind in an instant.

"You're beautiful when you blush. But you're damn gorgeous when you use fire like you just did," he told her in a slightly husky mumble. "I'm going to do you a favor and warn you to be careful about saying my name like that. It starts something in me," he stopped to take advantage of her breathlessly open mouth. His kiss was deep, tantalizing, and short. "…That might not stop until it's run its course," he concluded, opening his eyes to stare into hers. She was shocked to find them no longer indigo, but deep blue with flecks of amber.

"Where, in the name of God, did you learn to kiss like that?" she asked, encouraged by his own bluntness.

He blinked, then turned away, shuddering, "That was a long time ago."

Kaoru instantly saw the raw nerve her words had unintentionally struck. In an attempt to repent for her misstep, she gently hugged him, "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to upset you."

He shook his head slowly, "No, it's all right. You had no way of knowing. Besides, that was my mistake all those years ago, not yours. Therefore, you have nothing to be sorry about. Don't worry about it."

"I can't help it. Something I said made you feel bad. I want to make it better," she said as she ran her fingers through his hair.

"There...are many old wounds existing in me that are unfixable. Only time can make the pain of their existence lessen. Though, I appreciate the effort."

"Kenshin," she whined as her arms slipped around him hug him as tears pooled in her eyes. "I'm not trying to fix you. I know I haven't that much power. I just want to make it better. Especially since it was I who drew us into this stupid conversation in the first place."

"Gods. You're so pure. You have no idea. Too pure. How can I remain and not taint you? I'm sorry I've encroached upon your peaceful existence here," he whispered, his voice suddenly broken with a sorrow that made him seem far older than the mere twenty-eight years old that he was. Kaoru's eyes widened in shock at his words.

"Kenshin, don't you dare talk like that. You have no idea what lead me to be here in the first place. I was tainted long before you fell into my path. The reason I live all the way out here in the middle of nowhere is because three years ago, sick bastards gunned down our parents for the fun of it without a damn care in the world during a convenience store robbery. You know what the worst part of it is? They got to make deals with the D.A. that cut their sentences down to 5 years in prison in exchange for giving a few names of colleagues. So, in two more years, they'll be out to walk the streets again while my parents can never _ever_ come back from where they've been sent. Now, you try to tell me I'm not tainted after going through that sort of bullshit," she told him firmly with hatred for those who placed her in the current position flaming in her words and face. Kenshin stared into her eyes as a knot twisted in his stomach.

"You're right. In a manner of speaking, you're tainted. Tainted far beyond repair. But… you're the victim. That sort of tainting is completely different. You feel sick because you lost loved ones in such a hideous manner. But I? I feel sick.. because I know what it feels like to take the life of another. Yahiko told you earlier what it is that I do for a living. One can't arrive into that kind of occupation not knowing what it's like to end the life of another human being."

A slew of emotions crossed Kaoru's face as she listened to his confession. She took a moment to digest it before speaking up again, "Your nightmare this morning had something to do with this, didn't it?"

His eyes widened in recollection before that deep sorrow settled within him once more, "Yes."

"Tell me this. Would you, as you are now, or could you at anytime in the future... take the life of another without any reason whatsoever other than sport?" she asked in all seriousness. Kenshin stared at her squarely.

"No," he answered softly and honestly.

"Would you or could you take the life of another without a reason that involved the waver between life and death in one or more others, yourself included?"

Kenshin took longer to think about this one, yet the conclusion he reached was again the utmost truth, "No."

"Then, Kenshin Himura, no matter what horrors you may have committed in your past, you are not the filth that truly taints anything in this world. I understand that there are many dark and monstrous sides to this world. That's the way it has always been. The lion must hunt to survive. I understand that. It's because I understand that... that I say you are not a force of corrupting evil," she told him sternly. Her right hand rose to cup his scared left cheek, her thumb gently caressing the blemish. That action added onto her words proved to be his undoing.

As Kaoru's thumb brushed ignorantly, the very symbol of the darkness lying within Kenshin's soul, energy left him in a great whoosh. He slumped against her, head against her shoulder as a small portion of the damn he'd built around his core fell away.

"Kaoru, you know not your own awesome strength," he whispered as a few rare tears spilled from his eyes. His arms wrapped around her to hold on tightly.

"Damn. All of this, just because of one really good kiss," she laughed bitter-sweetly. He gave a gentle squeeze of his arms in reply. "Oh, but you confuse me," her lips spoke poetically. "I've known you only a day and yet you have the power to drive me crazy in ways I've never known. I can't help but wonder how you do it."

It was a minute or so later when he finally answered after lifting his head to press a weary kiss to her forehead, "I regret to inform you that it is not just I causing this. As they say, it takes two."

Kaoru groaned audibly and melodramatically, "How did you know I'm such a sucker for sappy shameless romance?"

"I didn't, but now I know what to look for come gift hunting time," he chuckled light-heartedly. Kaoru gasped then playfully swatted his good shoulder.

"Weasel!"

"No. No, that's Misao Makimachi. Though, I have a feeling you and her would get along fine," he grinned wryly. He then kissed her temple, "You should get to bed. I've troubled you enough for one day. Go on, I'll be fine here on the couch."

"Oh, no. No, no, no, no, no. No you are not, mister. You're sleeping in a bed tonight, Himura. Like I said before, _you're the_ one who's injured. I'm not taking no for an answer," she scolded firmly.

Kenshin gawked at her, before quickly composing himself to respond accordingly, "Well, I'm certainly not letting you sleep on the couch, _nor _the floor, neither. There's only one more alternative after that."

Kaoru blushed profusely at the implication. She coughed then quietly replied, "Kiss me witless again, and you've got yourself a deal."

"Erm, well… In that case, I suggest we _both_ go to bed so that we don't have far to fall when we knock ourselves out."

Giggling, Kaoru rose and helped him to stand with the use of the crutches. She lit and carried a candle lantern down the hall to her room then returned to help him along. Once in the room, she shut the door as he traveled over to the bed and eased himself down into it. She set the crutches within easy reach for him, changed into her pajamas, then crawled into bed beside him.

"Now where's that kiss, Himura?" she teased with a wicked grin.

"You naughty girl. I warned you about that. Ye ask and ye shall receive," he replied before granting her request.

His lips attacked without reservation, yet the instant his tongue entered her mouth to twine with hers and taste her, he became just as lost as she. Round after round, they continued their game, muttering sweet nothings in between. Sleep swept in somewhere beyond that to claim them, neither knowing exactly when. But when they finally settled into sleep, entangled together they were to guard one another from any nightmares that dare come in the hours ahead.

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**Penguine's Place**

Since FFnet has not issued an official statement on the in-chapter review reply matter, I'm thinking that the case that's been so publicized is a one-time thing. However, I'm not going to take chances. If any of you have questions or comments that you wish me to reply to, please email me (penguine-at-mindsjourney-dot-net) or leave an email address where I can reply to you. I'm going to take the same position for the folks at Mediaminer-org because not replying in chapter saves me time when I'm ready to post new chapters. Apologies for the inconvenience.


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